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Colorado Stromatolite Fossils
swizz
post Jan 20 2016, 10:17 AM
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Post up your pics here if you've been lucky enough to stumble across any. I have several specimens (none are from the Lykins Formation). All of my finds are from Grand County and at a fairly high elevation in relation to the Lykins Formation. I believe they were encased and preserved by a volcanic event. As the volcanic surface rock (extrusive igneous) erodes they are exposed. My finds have been loose alluvial... or placer in nature, just keeping my eyes peeled and flipping rocks.
This is probably my favorite. It has a bonus.... a druzy pocket on top that is filled with micro crystals. This one probably got pretty hot. Fossil/gem or geode combo I reckon. Kinda ugly but kinda purty.... hey, it has inner beauty. girly.gif

Top
Stromatolite Top by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

Bottom
Stromatolite Bottom by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

Side
Stromatolite Side by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

Inside Druzy Pocket (unknown crystallization)
Stromatolite Druzy Crystallization by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr


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swizz
post Jan 20 2016, 10:22 AM
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Colorful Stromatolite fossilization encased in extrusive igneous. This one appears to be more recently exposed and therefore far less eroded than the one I pictured above. I left it in place. Something tells me it's probably pretty gemmy inside also. happy088.gif
Stromatolite Encased 2 by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr


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swizz
post Jan 20 2016, 02:46 PM
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This one is different but from the same location. Host rock is Jasper or Chert, waxy.

Stromatolite C top by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr

Stromatolite C bottom by GhostCreekMine, on Flickr


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Denise
post Jan 21 2016, 08:46 AM
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Those are fantastic Chris!! smiley-clapping.gif I really like the colorful one encased in extrusive igneous. Looks like a great location for looking for fossils! Thanks for sharing the pics with us. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif


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Crusty
post Jan 21 2016, 09:42 AM
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Almost as cool as this one I found here in Falcon this morning! ;)
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James and Cyndi
post Jan 21 2016, 10:22 AM
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QUOTE (Crusty @ Jan 21 2016, 08:42 AM) *
Almost as cool as this one I found here in Falcon this morning! ;)


nice glaze


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Skygazer
post Jan 21 2016, 01:23 PM
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Very nice pic's Chris, the movie you posted named "Life's Rocky Start" talked in detail about Stromatolites and how the single cell Microbes slowly collect the dirt out of the surrounding water and cement the dirt and minerals as layers which are shown very well in the pics you posted. Very cool, nice specimen's. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif


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Gene Kooper
post Jan 21 2016, 03:34 PM
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Nice fossils swizz!

Here are a two links to photos of stromatolites in the Lykins Formation. The first link is to an outcrop near Colorado Springs.

Permian/Triassic Lykins Formation 250 mya

The second link shows several photos in Boulder Valley. The website is run by Steve Wagner, a volunteer at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS).

Geology of Colorado (Boulder Valley) - Field Trip #1, Stop #4: Lykins Formation

Many, many years ago I remember a field geology problem where we learned how to measure a stratigraphic section with a Jacob's staff and Brunton. The field area was between Red Rocks Park and I-70. I'm not sure whether the area is still accessible for folks to see the stromatolites or not.
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swizz
post Jan 22 2016, 07:48 AM
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Thank you Denise, Skygazer and Gene excellent links!
Crusty, your specimen looks delicious. thumbsupsmileyanim.gif


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